9 God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel. –Genesis 35:9-15
What we read of most of Jacob’s life in the book of Genesis is primarily negative, describing either Jacob’s own sinful actions or the various difficulties that he endured as a husband or father because of the sin of others. In spite of this, however, the Genesis narrative describes three encounters that Jacob had with the living God that demonstrate both God’s grace to him as well as his own faith and trust in the God of his fathers.
The circumstances surrounding these encounters are strikingly similar, each being preceded by a time when Jacob found himself in a place of worry and uncertainty. The first of these occurred at Bethel as he was fleeing from the wrath of Esau. God, declaring Himself to be the God of Abraham and Isaac, appeared to Jacob and then proceeded to make the same promises to Jacob that He had made to them. Jacob’s response was one of worship. However, as a loving father would do with his child, God’s promises to Jacob would not come to him apart from God’s discipline.
Following his experiences with Laban that both increased the size of his family and also filled his life with conflict and drama, Jacob undertook to return to his homeland and was greeted by news that his brother Esau, accompanied by 400 men,was coming to meet him. Fearing for his own life as well as those of his family members, he divided all he had, sending his family across the stream at Jabbok. That night he encountered what the text describes as a man with whom he wrestled until the morning. While the initial wrestling seemed to involve Jacob striving against this individual, as dawn comes, Jacob’s wrestling is focused upon obtaining a blessing. The man does bless Jacob, but refused to name himself and instead renames Jacob. With this demonstration of authority the reader comes to understand what Jacob had realized at dawn: this was God with whom he was struggling.
Later in his life, Jacob’s family experienced the tragedy of the rape of Dinah, his daughter. The response of his sons was to murder the man responsible and to sack the city in which he lived. Following this event, Jacob fled the area out of fear for his family. God then appeared to him, instructing him to return to Bethel and to construct an altar there. When he arrived, the Lord appeared to him, confirming the changing of his name to Israel and repeated to him the promises which He had previously spoken. Jacob once again worshipped Yahweh, setting up a pillar to Him and anointing it with oil.
The change of Jacob’s name is significant because the people that were to come from him would bear this name collectively. Like Jacob, they would both strive against God in their sin while also desperately seeking His blessing. Like Jacob, their only hope would be in the grace of God who had called them and made to their forefathers great and wonderful promises. God’s ultimate gift to them would be to send to them a greater Jacob. This individual would bear the name of His people but would be obedient to God rather than striving against Him. He would bring God’s blessing to them by taking upon Himself the curse that they deserved!
Join us this Sunday as we come together to worship Jesus, the greater Jacob!
Soli Deo Gloria.
-Thomas